Steuben County collects 781 lbs. of medications during Drug Take Back

Gillian Friebis
·1 min read

STEUBEN COUNTY, N.Y. (WETM) — Steuben County residents turned nearly 800 pounds of unwanted medications at the county’s Drug Take Back Day event this past weekend.

Members of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, the Steuben Prevention Coalition Opioid Committee (SPCOC), and the New York National Guard Counter Drug Task Force collected unused and expired medications from Steuben County residents at the Steuben County Public Safety Building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27 for Drug Take Back Day. Participants in this Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)-sponsored event could stay anonymous and get rid of medications with no questions asked.

Chemung County collects 600 lbs. during Drug Take Back

According to SPCOC Coordinator Connie Terry, Steuben County participants in the most recent Drug Take Back Day turned in a total of 781 pounds of medication, making this event significantly more successful than the one held in the fall. Only 81 pounds of medication were turned in during the October 2023 Drug Take Back Day in Steuben County.

“Thank you to everyone who participated in this event,” said Terry. “When people safely dispose of unwanted and expired medication, they not only protect their family, but also their community.”

The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office transported all of the collected medications to the DEA’s office in Rochester after the Drug Take Back Event. The DEA then weighed the medications and incinerated them according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.